In an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin or panty liner, liquid excreta, such as menstrual blood penetrates the liquid-permeable layer, such as the top sheet, and is absorbed and retained by the absorbent body, but due to the high viscosity of menstrual blood it tends to remain in the liquid-permeable layer. When menstrual blood remains in the liquid-permeable layer of an absorbent article, it produces a feeling of stickiness and visual discomfort for the wearer, and it has therefore been a goal to improve the migration of menstrual blood from the liquid-permeable layer to the absorbent body and reduce residual menstrual blood in the liquid-permeable layer.
On the other hand, absorbent articles coated with a lotion composition on the top sheet are known in the prior art (PTLs 1 and 2). In PTL 1, a polypropylene glycol material-containing lotion composition is coated onto the inner surface of a top sheet (the clothing side surface), the inner surface of the back sheet (the body side surface), and on the base material between the inner surface of the top sheet and the inner surface of the back sheet, while in PTL 2, a polypropylene glycol material-containing lotion composition is coated onto the outer surface of a top sheet (the body side surface).
Top sheets having an irregular structure on the surface are also known in the prior art (PTLs 3 and 4). In PTLs 3 and 4, an irregular structure is formed on the surface of a top sheet by heat treatment of a heat-extendable fiber layer that is partially contact bonded or adhesively bonded by contact bonded adhesive sections, and heat stretching of the heat-extendable fiber layer, thereby causing the heat-extendable fiber layer to bulge out to the skin contact surface.